Summary
A Spanish study revealed that acupuncture used to complement drug therapy is a more effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis than medication alone. The study included 88 people with knee osteoarthritis who received either acupuncture and the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac or dummy acupuncture and the drug. Patients were treated for 12 weeks and their levels of stiffness, pain, and physical function were measured.
Patients in the acupuncture group had a greater reduction of pain and stiffness with an improved functioning and quality of life compared to those in the placebo group. The study authors said future research should include longer observation periods to evaluate the duration of improvement.
Original source:
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=97&ncid=751&e=8&u=/hsn/20041119/hl_hsn/acupuncturehelpstreatkneepain
Details
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Acupuncture, used as a complementary therapy to drugs, is a more effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis than medication alone, says a Spanish study in this week's issue of the British Medical Journal.
- The study included 88 people with knee osteoarthritis who received either acupuncture and the anti-inflammatory drug diclofenac or dummy acupuncture and the drug.
- The patients were treated for 12 weeks and their levels of stiffness, pain and physical function were measured by the researchers.
- Patients in the acupuncture group had a greater reduction of pain and stiffness and improved functioning and quality of life compared to the patients in the placebo group.
- The study authors said future research should include longer observation periods after treatment to evaluate the duration of improvement offered by the combination of acupuncture and drug therapy.
- Knee osteoarthritis affects nearly 10 percent of people over age 55, the researchers said.
- The American Medical Association has more about knee osteoarthritis.
- The information contained above is intended for general reference purposes only.
- It is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a medical exam.
- Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health professional before starting any new treatment.
- Medical information changes rapidly and while Yahoo and its content providers make efforts to update the content on the site, some information may be out of date.
- No health information on Yahoo, including information about herbal therapies and other dietary supplements, is regulated or evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration and therefore the information should not be used to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease without the supervision of a medical doctor.
About the author: Mike Adams is a consumer health advocate and award-winning journalist with a strong interest in personal health, the environment and the power of nature to help us all heal He has authored and published thousands of articles, interviews, consumers guides, and books on topics like health and the environment, and he is well known as the creator of popular downloadable preparedness programs on financial collapse, emergency food storage, wilderness survival and home defense skills. Adams is an honest, independent journalist and accepts no money or commissions on the third-party products he writes about or the companies he promotes. In mid 2010, Adams produced TV.NaturalNews.com, a natural health video sharing website offering user-generated videos on nutrition, green living, fitness and more. He's also a veteran of the software technology industry, having founded a personalized mass email software product used to deliver email newsletters to subscribers. Adams volunteers his time to serve as the executive director of the Consumer Wellness Center, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and enjoys outdoor activities, nature photography, Pilates and martial arts training. He's also author of numerous health books published by Truth Publishing and is the creator of several consumer-oriented grassroots campaigns, including the Spam. Don't Buy It! campaign, and the free downloadable Honest Food Guide. He also created the free reference sites HerbReference.com and HealingFoodReference.com. Adams believes in free speech, free access to nutritional supplements and the ending of corporate control over medicines, genes and seeds.
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Wednesday, November 24, 2004
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